Final Fantasy is a Japanese science fiction and fantasy collection of games and other media created by Hironobu Sakaguchi. It is owned, developed, and published by Square Enix (formerly Square). The series focuses on fantasy role-playing video games. The first game was released in 1987, and 16 main games have been made so far.
The franchise has expanded into different types of video games, such as tactical role-playing, action role-playing, massively multiplayer online role-playing, racing, third-person shooter, fighting, and rhythm games. It has also grown into other media, including films, anime, manga, and novels.
Final Fantasy is mostly a collection of separate role-playing games, each with unique settings, stories, and characters. However, the series shares common features, such as similar battle systems and character names. Each story follows a group of heroes fighting a major evil while also exploring their personal challenges and relationships. Character names often come from history, languages, pop culture, and myths from around the world. Each game uses similar battle systems and maps.
Final Fantasy has been both highly praised and very successful. Some games are considered among the best video games ever made. The series has sold more than 200 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling video game franchises. It is known for its creativity, advanced visuals like full-motion videos and realistic character designs, and music by Nobuo Uematsu. The series helped introduce many features now common in role-playing games and made the genre popular outside Japan.
Media
The first game in the Final Fantasy series was released in Japan on December 18, 1987. Each new game is numbered as a volume, not a sequel, and the stories in later games are not connected to earlier ones. Many Final Fantasy games have been translated for use in North America, Europe, and Australia on various video game consoles, personal computers, and mobile phones. As of June 2023, the series includes main games from Final Fantasy to Final Fantasy XVI, as well as direct sequels and spin-offs that have been released or are being developed. Many early games have been remade or re-released on multiple platforms.
Three Final Fantasy games were released on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Final Fantasy was released in Japan in 1987 and in North America in 1990. It introduced many new ideas for the console role-playing game (RPG) genre and has been remade on several platforms. Final Fantasy II was released in Japan in 1988 and has been bundled with Final Fantasy in several re-releases. The last NES game, Final Fantasy III, was released in Japan in 1990 but was not released elsewhere until a remake on the Nintendo DS in 2006.
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) also had three main Final Fantasy games, all of which have been re-released on multiple platforms. Final Fantasy IV was released in 1991 and called Final Fantasy II in North America. It introduced the "Active Time Battle" system. Final Fantasy V was released in Japan in 1992 and was the first game in the series to have a sequel: an anime series called Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals. Final Fantasy VI was released in Japan in 1994 and called Final Fantasy III in North America.
The PlayStation console had three main Final Fantasy games. Final Fantasy VII (1997) changed from 2D graphics to 3D computer graphics, with characters made of polygons on pre-rendered backgrounds. It also used a more modern setting, a style that continued in later games. It was the second game in the series to be released in Europe, with the first being Final Fantasy Mystic Quest. Final Fantasy VIII (1999) was the first game to use characters with realistic proportions and feature a vocal theme song. Final Fantasy IX (2000) returned to the series' traditional setting, unlike the modern worlds of VII and VIII.
Three main games and one online game were released for the PlayStation 2. Final Fantasy X (2001) introduced full 3D areas and voice acting, and it was the first to have a sub-sequel, Final Fantasy X-2 (2003). The first Final Fantasy MMORPG, Final Fantasy XI, was released on PlayStation 2 and PC in 2002 and later on Xbox 360. It used real-time battles instead of random encounters. Final Fantasy XII (2006) also used real-time battles on large, connected maps. It was the first main game to use a world previously seen in Final Fantasy Tactics and Vagrant Story.
In 2009, Final Fantasy XIII was released in Japan and later in North America and Europe for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It is the first main game in the Fabula Nova Crystallis series and had two sub-sequels: XIII-2 (2011) and Lightning Returns (2013). It was the first game released in Chinese and high definition and on two consoles at once. Final Fantasy XIV, an MMORPG, was released on PC in 2010 but was criticized and later re-released as Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn on PlayStation 3 in 2013. Final Fantasy XV, an action RPG, was released in 2016 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Originally a spin-off called Versus XIII, it uses elements from the Fabula Nova Crystallis series but stands apart from it. The sixteenth main game, Final Fantasy XVI, was released in 2023 for PlayStation 5.
The series has many spin-offs and related games. Some were renamed for North American release, such as the SaGa series, which became The Final Fantasy Legend and its sequels. Final Fantasy Mystic Quest was made for a U.S. audience, and Final Fantasy Tactics is a tactical RPG with themes from the series. Other spin-offs include the Chocobo, Crystal Chronicles, and Kingdom Hearts series. Dissidia Final Fantasy (2009) is a fighting game with characters from the first ten main games. It was followed by a prequel (2011), sequel (2015), and a mobile version (2017).
In 2003, Final Fantasy X-2
Common elements
Most Final Fantasy games are separate from each other, but they share many gameplay features. Many games include fantasy and science fiction elements, and they often use names inspired by history, languages, and myths from Asian, European, and Middle Eastern cultures. For example, weapon names like Excalibur (from Arthurian legends) and Masamune (named after a famous Japanese swordmaker) appear in the series. Spell names such as Holy, Meteor, and Ultima are also common. Starting with Final Fantasy IV, the series began using its current logo style, which includes a specific typeface and an emblem designed by Japanese artist Yoshitaka Amano. The emblem connects to the game's story and usually shows a character or object from the plot. Later remakes of the first three games changed their original logos to match this style.
In many Final Fantasy games, the main story centers on a group of characters fighting an evil or ancient enemy that controls the world. The plot often involves a country in rebellion, with the heroes joining the fight. The heroes may be destined to defeat the enemy, and their group may form because of the villain's actions. A common feature is having two villains, with the main villain working for a more powerful enemy introduced later. The first villain introduced is not always the final enemy, and the characters must continue their journey after what seems like the last battle.
Stories in the series often focus on the personal struggles, emotions, and challenges of the characters, with the main plot taking a backseat. Relationships between characters, such as love or rivalry, are also explored. Common plot devices include amnesia, a hero turned evil, mistaken identity, and self-sacrifice. Magical items like orbs and crystals appear frequently and are often tied to the game's themes. Crystals are frequently linked to the planet's life force, and controlling them is central to the conflict. The classical elements (earth, air, fire, water) also appear in the series. Other common themes include the Gaia hypothesis, an apocalypse, and conflicts between technology and nature.
The series includes recurring character types. For example, a character named Cid appears in most games since Final Fantasy II, including remakes of the first game. Cid's role, appearance, and personality vary, but many versions are scientists or engineers connected to an airship the party uses. Characters named Biggs and Wedge, inspired by Star Wars, appear in many games as minor characters. Later games often feature male characters with effeminate traits.
Common creatures in the series include Chocobos, Moogles, and Cactuars. Chocobos are large, flightless birds used for long-distance travel. Moogles are white, teddy-bear-like creatures with wings and an antenna. They help with tasks like delivering mail or saving the game. Cactuars are humanoid cacti with face-like designs, often appearing as enemies or allies. Specific musical themes accompany Chocobo and Moogle appearances, with variations in different games.
In Final Fantasy games, players control a group of characters as they explore the game world and fight enemies. Enemies are usually encountered randomly, though this changed in Final Fantasy XI and XII. Players give commands like "Fight" or "Magic" through a menu during battles. Battle systems have evolved over time. Before Final Fantasy XI, battles were turn-based. Final Fantasy IV introduced the "Active Time Battle" (ATB) system, which added urgency by requiring quick actions. Final Fantasy X used the "Conditional Turn-Based" (CTB) system, which returned to a turn-based format with added complexity. Final Fantasy XI used a real-time system, and Final Fantasy XII introduced the "Active Dimension Battle" system. Final Fantasy XIII's combat, designed by the same person who worked on X, focused on action and cinematic battles. Final Fantasy XV uses the "Open Combat" system, allowing free movement and attacks, with a "Tactical" option for pausing to use items.
Like many RPGs, Final Fantasy games use an experience level system, where characters gain levels by defeating enemies. Character classes, which give unique abilities, are also common. Some games assign a single class to a character, while others let players switch between classes. Over time, class systems have become less common, with characters gaining more versatile skills.
Magic is a key feature in the series. It is grouped into types based on color: "White magic" helps allies, "Black magic" harms enemies, "Red magic" combines both, "Blue magic" copies enemy attacks, and "Green magic" affects status effects. Other types include "Time magic" (related to time and space) and "Summoning magic," which calls legendary creatures like "Espers" or "Eidolons" inspired by myths from Arabic, Hindu, Norse, and Greek cultures.
Transportation in the series includes airships for long-distance travel, Chocobos for short trips, and other vehicles like boats or land transport. After Final Fantasy VII, more modern and futuristic vehicles have been included.
Development and history
In the mid-1980s, Square began working in Japan's video game industry by making simple role-playing games, racing games, and platformers for Nintendo's Famicom Disk System. In 1987, Square designer Hironobu Sakaguchi decided to create a new fantasy role-playing game for the cartridge-based NES. He took ideas from popular games like Enix's Dragon Quest, Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda, and Origin Systems' Ultima series. Although some people think the game was made because the company was in financial trouble, Sakaguchi said it was his personal effort to stay in the game industry. He named the game Final Fantasy because he felt it was his last chance to succeed in the business. If the game failed, he planned to leave the industry and return to college. Some sources also say the name came from the company's hope that the game would fix its money problems. In 2015, Sakaguchi explained that the team wanted a name that could be shortened to "FF," which sounds good in Japanese. They originally considered "Fighting Fantasy" but changed it because of possible trademark conflicts. Since "Final" was a familiar word in Japan, they chose it for the title. Sakaguchi said any name that made "FF" would have worked.
The game helped Square improve its financial situation and became the company's most important series. After its success, Square quickly made a second game. Sakaguchi believed Final Fantasy would be a one-time game, so its story was not planned for future sequels. Instead, the developers kept only similar themes from the first game, while changing some gameplay features like the character advancement system. This pattern continued in the series: each major game has a new setting, new characters, and updated battle systems. A writer named John Harris said this approach was inspired by Nihon Falcom's Dragon Slayer series, which Square had previously published. The company often released new games in the main series, but the time between Final Fantasy XI (2002), XII (2006), and XIII (2009) was longer than earlier games. After Final Fantasy XIV (2010), Square Enix aimed to release games more frequently, either yearly or every two years. This change was to match the development cycles of Western games like Call of Duty, Assassin's Creed, and Battlefield, and to keep fans interested. Final Fantasy XIV was relaunched in 2013, followed by Final Fantasy XV in 2016 and Final Fantasy XVI in 2023.
For the original Final Fantasy, Sakaguchi needed a larger team than Square had used before. He started writing the story while testing gameplay ideas. Once the gameplay and world size were decided, he added his story ideas to fit the available resources. Later games followed a different method: the story was completed first, and the game was built around it. Designers are not required to keep elements consistent, but most agree that each game should have some shared features. Development teams focus on creating new worlds for each game and avoid making them too similar to previous ones. Game locations are planned early, and details like building parts are designed to form entire structures.
The first five games were directed by Sakaguchi, who also created the original ideas. He got inspiration for game elements from anime films by Hayao Miyazaki. Features like airships and chocobos were based on elements from Castle in the Sky and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, respectively. Sakaguchi worked as a producer for later games until he left Square in 2001. Yoshinori Kitase took over as director until Final Fantasy VIII, and each new game has had a different director since then. Hiroyuki Ito designed systems like the "Job System" in Final Fantasy V, the "Junction System" in Final Fantasy VIII, and the "Active Time Battle" system used in games from IV to IX. Ito got the idea for the battle system from watching Formula One races, where cars of different types move at different speeds. Ito also co-directed Final Fantasy VI with Kitase. Kenji Terada wrote the stories for the first three games, and Kitase took over for V through VII. Kazushige Nojima became the main story writer from VII until 2003, when he left to start his own company. Nojima wrote parts or all of the stories for VII, VIII, X, and X-2, and also worked on the Kingdom Hearts series. Daisuke Watanabe co-wrote stories for X and XII and was the main writer for the XIII games.
Artistic design, including concept art and monster creations, was done by Japanese artist Yoshitaka Amano from Final Fantasy through VI. Amano also designed the logos for all main series games and the artwork for VII and later. Koichi Ishii created character designs for I to III, while Kazuko Shibuya adapted these designs into pixel art. Shibuya became the main pixel artist for the series and also designed characters for IV, V, and most of VI. Tetsuya Nomura replaced Amano because his designs worked better with 3D graphics. He worked on games from VII to X, then returned for XIII and helped design XV. For IX, Shukō Murase, Toshiyuki Itahana, and Shin Nagasawa handled character designs. For XV, Roberto Ferrari was responsible for character design. Nomura also designed characters for the Kingdom Hearts series, Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, and Fabula Nova Crystallis: Final Fantasy. Other designers include Nobuyoshi Mihara, who designed characters for XI, and Akihiko Yoshida, who worked on Final Fantasy Tactics, Vagrant Story, and XII. For XVI, Kazuya Takahashi and Hiroshi Minagawa handled character designs.
Early Final Fantasy games on the
Reception
The Final Fantasy series has been widely praised and has sold many copies worldwide. Sales have grown over time, reaching 25 million units by 2000, 100 million units by 2011, and over 200 million units by March 2025. Some games in the series are among the best-selling role-playing games (RPGs). For example, Final Fantasy VII sold more than 14.4 million copies globally, making it the best-selling game in the series. Final Fantasy VIII became the top-selling video game in the United States shortly after its 1999 release, and Final Fantasy X had over 1.4 million pre-orders in Japan. Final Fantasy XI reached 200,000 active players in 2006, and Final Fantasy XII sold over 1.7 million copies in its first week in Japan. Final Fantasy XIII sold 1 million copies in Japan on its first day of release. Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, despite initial technical issues, gained over 1 million unique subscribers within two months of its launch.
The series has been praised for its visuals and music. In 1996, it was ranked 17th among the best games of all time. In 2008, it was listed as the best game series in a public poll. The series has won 10 awards at The Game Awards as of 2025, more than any other video game franchise. It has also been recognized in multiple lists, including Famitsu’s 2006 "Top 100 Favorite Games of All Time," where Final Fantasy X and VII ranked first and second, respectively. The series holds several Guinness World Records, such as "Most Games in an RPG Series" and "Fastest-Selling Console RPG in a Single Day." Final Fantasy VII was inducted into the World Video Game Hall of Fame in 2018.
Some games have faced criticism. For example, the menu system in some games has been described as confusing. Reviews have also criticized the use of random battles in the series. Some film and animation projects based on the series were not well-received. In 2007, Edge magazine criticized some games with "Final Fantasy" in their titles for being less successful than earlier games.
Individual games have received both praise and criticism. Final Fantasy VII was listed as one of the best RPGs of all time but has also been called overrated. Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII sold many copies but received lower review scores. Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within was praised for its visuals but criticized for its story and poor box office performance. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles received mixed reviews, with some players finding the use of Game Boy Advance controllers inconvenient. The original version of Final Fantasy XIV received mostly negative reviews, leading its president to apologize for the game’s reception.
Many publications have ranked the main Final Fantasy games. In these rankings, lower numbers usually mean higher praise. Famitsu magazine and Metacritic also provide scores, where higher numbers indicate better reviews. Note that Metacritic scores for games before Final Fantasy VII often reflect older reviews rather than contemporary ones.
Legacy
Final Fantasy has played an important role in the history of video games and how they are designed. Final Fantasy IV is seen as a major step forward for the game genre, introducing a story with strong emotions and focusing on character growth and relationships. In 1992, Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto noted how Final Fantasy influenced Japanese role-playing games, saying the game’s "interactive movie-like style" with attention to "presentation and graphics" became a common style for Japanese RPGs at that time. Final Fantasy VII, the first game in the series officially released in Europe and Oceania, had the greatest impact on the video game industry. It helped console role-playing games become popular worldwide. Final Fantasy VII is considered one of the most important and influential games in the series.
The series affected Square’s business in many ways. The commercial failure of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within caused delays in discussions between Enix and Square about merging their companies. Square’s choice to make games only for the Sony PlayStation, a decision later followed by Enix for the Dragon Quest series, ended their relationship with Nintendo. Final Fantasy games were not available on Nintendo consoles, especially the Nintendo 64, for seven years. Critics believe the shift of major third-party games like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest to Sony’s PlayStation, instead of Nintendo’s Nintendo 64, helped make the PlayStation more successful. When Nintendo released the Nintendo GameCube in 2001, which used optical disc media, Square took notice. To create games for the system, Square formed a new company called The Game Designers Studio and released Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, which started its own series within the franchise. Final Fantasy XI’s lack of a way to cancel online subscriptions led to new laws in the U.S. state of Illinois requiring internet gaming services to provide such an option for residents. Guinness World Records recognized the game as the first RPG to cause a change in state law.
The series has influenced many game developers. Peter Molyneux, creator of Fable, said Final Fantasy VII helped define the RPG genre for him. Greg Zeschuk, founder of BioWare, described Final Fantasy VII as the first emotionally engaging game he played and said it had a big impact on BioWare’s work. Jonas Mattsson, a senior environmental artist at The Witcher 3, said Final Fantasy was a huge influence and the first RPG he completed. Derek Watts, art director of Mass Effect, said Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within greatly influenced the visual style of his series. David Silverman, a senior product manager at BioWare, said Final Fantasy XII’s gambit system influenced gameplay in Dragon Age: Origins. Maxime Beland, creative director at Ubisoft Toronto, said the original Final Fantasy had a major influence on him. Constantin Jupp of Media Molecule said Final Fantasy VII inspired him to pursue game design. Tim Schafer also listed Final Fantasy VII as one of his favorite games.
The series’ popularity has led to its inclusion in many areas of popular culture, such as anime, TV shows, and webcomics. Music from the series has appeared in many parts of culture. Final Fantasy IV’s "Theme of Love" was added to the curriculum for Japanese school children and has been performed live by orchestras and metal bands. In 2003, Uematsu co-founded The Black Mages, an instrumental rock group separate from Square, which released albums of rearranged Final Fantasy music. At the 2004 Summer Olympics, synchronized swimming medalists Alison Bartosik and Anna Kozlova performed a routine to music from Final Fantasy VIII. Many soundtracks from the series have been sold. Companion books, often containing detailed game information, have been published. Square released these books in Japan as Ultimania books. In 2007, Monty Oum created a fan-made web series called Dead Fantasy, featuring Final Fantasy and Dead or Alive characters in battle royale-style fights.